The Ministry of Health and Medical Services have planned to initate COVID-19 vaccination for children ages 12 to 15 from November 15.

Permanent Secretary for Health and Medical Services Dr James Fong said children of this age group would receive the Pfizer vaccine.

He said COVID-19 poses a lower risk to children how- ever secondary transmission from young school-age children does occur in both household and school set- tings.

“Our vaccine deployment programme for children aged 15 to 17 years is going well and we are planning on initiating Pfizer Vaccine deployment from the 15th of November for children aged 12 to 15 years,” he said.

“Conditions required to facilitate COVID safe school conditions have been discussed with the Ministry of Education and a training programme to create aware- ness around COVID safe school conditions has been facilitated for senior education officials.”

He said the ministry had also noted the recent news that the FDA has issued emergency approval for Pfiz- er to be given to children aged 5 to 11 years, with a pediatric dose of one-third that is given to adults and adolescents.

He said the pediatric dose is given as two shots three weeks apart and is considered by the FDA to be safe and 90 per cent effective.

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